Boiled Leg of Mutton

The Book of Household Management · Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) · 1861
Source
The Book of Household Management
Yield
6.0 – 8.0 persons
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (3)
Instructions (7)
  1. A leg of mutton for boiling should not hang too long, as it will not look a good colour when dressed.
  2. Cut off the shank-bone, trim the knuckle, and wash and wipe it very clean.
  3. Plunge it into sufficient boiling water to cover it.
  4. Let it boil up, then draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, where it should remain till the finger can be borne in the water.
  5. Then place it sufficiently near the fire, that the water may gently simmer, and be very careful that it does not boil fast, or the meat will be hard.
  6. Skim well, add a little salt, and in about 2-1/4 hours after the water begins to simmer, a moderate-sized leg of mutton will be done.
  7. Serve with carrots and mashed turnips, which may be boiled with the meat, and send caper sauce (No. 382) to table with it in a tureen.
Original Text
BOILED LEG OF MUTTON. 705. INGREDIENTS.—Mutton, water, salt. Mode.—A. leg of mutton for boiling should not hang too long, as it will not look a good colour when dressed. Cut off the shank-bone, trim the knuckle, and wash and wipe it very clean; plunge it into sufficient boiling water to cover it; let it boil up, then draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, where it should remain till the finger can be borne in the water. Then place it sufficiently near the fire, that the water may gently simmer, and be very careful that it does not boil fast, or the meat will be hard. Skim well, add a little salt, and in about 2-1/4 hours after the water begins to simmer, a moderate-sized leg of mutton will be done. Serve with carrots and mashed turnips, which may be boiled with the meat, and send caper sauce (No. 382) to table with it in a tureen. Time.—A moderate-sized leg of mutton of 9 lbs., 2-1/4 hours after the water boils; one of 12 lbs., 3 hours. Average cost, 8-1/2d. per lb. Sufficient.—A moderate-sized leg of mutton for 6 or 8 persons. Seasonable nearly all the year, but not so good in June, July, and August. Note.—When meat is liked very thoroughly cooked, allow more time than stated above. The liquor this joint was boiled in should be converted into soup. THE GOOD SHEPHERD.—The sheep's complete dependence upon the shepherd for protection from its numerous enemies is frequently referred to in the Bible; thus the Psalmist likens himself to a lost sheep, and prays the Almighty to seek his servant; and our Saviour, when despatching his twelve chosen disciples to preach the Gospel amongst their unbelieving brethren, compares them to lambs going amongst wolves. The shepherd of the East, by kind treatment, calls forth from his sheep unmistakable signs of affection. The sheep obey his voice and recognize the names by which he calls them, and they follow him in and out of the fold. The beautiful figure of the "good shepherd," which so often occurs in the New Testament, expresses the tenderness of the Saviour for mankind. "The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."—John, x. 11. "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known by mine."—John, x. 14. "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."—John, x. 16.
Notes
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